Packer spotlight: With star wide receiver Greg Jennings out with a sprained left knee, now might be the time for the Packers to rediscover James Jones.

As part of what might be the deepest and most talented group of wide receivers in the NFL, Jones has been tough to spot at times this season. His overall numbers are OK - 28 catches for 496 yards with five touchdowns - but perhaps not quite what he expected when he re-signed with Green Bay in the off-season.

Jones acknowledged that he sometimes finds himself fighting off frustration.

"I've tried to stay positive," Jones said. "The 10-catch game as a receiver in our offense is very rare. You have to make the most of it."

Jones has nine games with two catches or fewer this season - including five games with a single catch, and two games where he was shut out completely.

Bears spotlight: Receiver Johnny Knox will miss the rest of the season after undergoing back surgery Monday.

Coach Lovie Smith confirmed that Knox would not play again this season. He was taken from the field on a cart early in Sunday's blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Smith says the surgery to stabilize a vertebra in his lower to mid back started Monday morning and was not finished as of midday.

The injury is not considered career-threatening. After Knox caught a pass, Kam Chancellor poked the ball out of his hands, and as Knox made a diving attempt to retrieve it, he was hit by Anthony Hargrove and bent backward. Smith says it was "an unfortunate play" but not a dirty one.

"He has total movement throughout his body, which is good," Smith said. "He's not paralyzed or anything."

Jeff Maillet and The Associated Press

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

1. ROLE REVERSAL: In Week 17 of 2011, the Bears had nothing to play for but still played their starters the entire way against the Packers. The goal was simply to keep Green Bay out of the postseason. This season, it's the Packers who find themselves in position to knock Chicago from the playoffs. Chicago has dropped four straight games and is two games out of a wild-card spot. With one foot in the grave, the Bears can be finished off.

2. WHAT A MESS: Bears fans who cursed Jay Cutler's name in years past have realized his value now. Chicago was 7-3 after Week 11, had won five straight, and appeared playoff bound. But Cutler broke his thumb in San Diego and the Bears' playoff chances have evaporated since. Caleb Hanie has thrown three touchdowns, nine interceptions and has a 41.8 passer rating in the last four games. Chicago also has gone 0-4 in that time and needs a miracle to reach the postseason.

3. PAPER THIN: Green Bay's offensive line is running out of healthy bodies. Chad Clifton (back, hamstring) hasn't played since Oct. 9. Then on Sunday, RT Bryan Bulaga left the game with a knee sprain. Later Derek Sherrod - Bulaga's replacement - suffered a season-ending broken leg. The Packers' postseason chances aren't great without Aaron Rodgers. The task of keeping him healthy is now a lot tougher.

4. BUTTER FINGERS: During Jermichael Finley's first three years in Green Bay, his pass-catching skills wowed everyone around the team. These days, for whatever reason, Finley is in the worst slump of his career. He had at least three more drops Sunday and is fighting the football like never before. Finley could be matched with Bears safeties Chris Conte or Brandon Meriweather on Sunday, a huge advantage for Green Bay. The Packers need Finley to take advantage of it.

5. RETURN WIZARD: Chicago return ace Devin Hester became the NFL's all-time leader in punt returns for touchdowns this season and currently has 12 for his career. Hester also has returned five kickoffs for TDs. The Packers have kicked to Hester in the past, and Green Bay punter Tim Masthay has been terrific lately. If the Packers kick to Hester again, he might represent the Bears' best chance to score.

BY ROB REISCHEL

THE MATCHUPS

QUARTERBACKS

Chicago's season went up in smoke Nov. 20 when Jay Cutler was lost with a broken thumb. The Bears were 7-3 at the time and have lost four straight since. Caleb Hanie , the starter since Week 12, has been awful and was benched late in Sunday's contest. Hanie has thrown nine interceptions, three touchdowns and has a miserable passer rating of 41.8. The Bears have hinted at a possible return by Cutler this week, but that seems unlikely. The best bet is Chicago goes with 32-year-old Josh McCown, who's made 31 career starts and has a lifetime passer rating of 70.9. Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers has consecutive games with a passer rating below 100, the first time that's happened since October 2010.

ADVANTAGE: Packers

RUNNING BACKS

Green Bay's Ryan Grant has had back-to-back solid games, giving Green Bay's pedestrian ground game some hope for January. Chicago lost Matt Forte to a sprained MCL two weeks ago, and he's not expected to play. Veteran Marion Barber got the first crack to replace Forte and made a series of critical mistakes. In Chicago's loss Sunday, Kahlil Bell was the Bears' leading rusher (65 yards) and had their lone offensive touchdown.

ADVANTAGE: Even

RECEIVERS

Green Bay's group struggled immensely catching the ball at Kansas City. Tight end Jermichael Finley was the biggest culprit and had as many drops as catches (three). Johnny Knox was the closest thing the Bears had to a No. 1 receiver. But Knox will have surgery to stabilize a vertebra in his lower to mid-back after taking a vicious shot Sunday. Free agent Roy Williams has been a bust, which has been the story everywhere he's played. Veteran Earl Bennett is smart and steady but has mediocre speed. Undrafted and scrappy rookie Dane Sanzenbacher is a respectable possession receiver.

ADVANTAGE: Packers

OFFENSIVE LINE

Green Bay is running out of bodies and will need to sign a tackle this week. That's because the Packers finished the Kansas City game without three of their top four tackles, and left guard T.J. Lang had to shift to right tackle. Protecting Rodgers is an immense concern right now. Chicago allowed more sacks than any NFL team in 2010 (56) and are the fifth-worst outfit this season with 42 sacks allowed.

ADVANTAGE: Packers

DEFENSIVE LINE

The Packers desperately missed DE Ryan Pickett (concussion) last week. Pickett plays the run as well as anybody on the roster, and without him, the Chiefs had 139 yards rushing and ran out the clock to end the game. Chicago's best defensive player is RE Julius Peppers, who has 10 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Peppers is one of the NFL's elite athletes and can single-handedly disrupt offenses. LE Israel Idonije (four sacks) is stout on the other side and benefits from the attention given to Peppers. DT Henry Melton (seven sacks) has given the Bears a surprising lift inside, but he missed last week with a shin injury. NT Matt Toeaina is a solid plugger.

ADVANTAGE: Bears

LINEBACKERS

Green Bay has some issues here. OLB Erik Walden struggled against the Chiefs and was replaced by Frank Zombo, who didn't fare much better. Inside, A.J. Hawk returned and was his mediocre self. The Packers really miss ILB Desmond Bishop (calf). Pro Bowl players Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs are still playing at a high level in Chicago. Urlacher has five of his 21 career interceptions against Green Bay. Briggs has gone to six straight Pro Bowls. His combination of instincts and athleticism are tough to top. Former Milwaukee Lutheran standout Nick Roach is a respectable SLB.

ADVANTAGE: Bears

SECONDARY

The Bears rank 27th in passing yards allowed (254.4 per game), and the Packers rank 31st (289.4). There are a handful of plays each week when an opposing wideout is running free through Green Bay's secondary. The Bears have played the last two games without SS Major Wright. The drop-off to veteran Craig Steltz is extreme.

ADVANTAGE: Even

SPECIAL TEAMS

Chicago return ace Devin Hester has struggled the past few weeks, but he remains a dynamic return men. Hester is most dangerous on punts, where's he's averaging 18.5 yards per return. Green Bay punter Tim Masthay is coming off a terrific game, while kicker Mason Crosby is just 7 of 10 on field-goal kicks after opening the year with 16 straight.

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